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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26896252">into the void</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tagteamme/pseuds/tagteamme'>tagteamme</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Black Paladin Keith, Champion Shiro (Voltron), Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of Other Voltron Paladins, Mild Action, both of the violent and romantic kind</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2019-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2019-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:27:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,986</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26896252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tagteamme/pseuds/tagteamme</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nervous about the amount of inspiration Shiro's strength brings to the other prisoners, the Galra promote him to becoming a war dog. On his first and last mission as bait, Shiro encounters a giant robot piloted by a familiar face.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Shiro (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>238</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Across Realities</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>into the void</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>title is from "into the void" by saivs</p><p>*edit note: fic published on October 2020, however now that some time's passed, I'm putting the original publish date back to when I first wrote it! &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Shiro doesn’t believe in ghosts. He can’t. If he does, it’s inevitably what he’ll become. It terrifies him to think that, long after the universe has torn him apart, he’ll still be forced to roam it, tethered to it against his own will.</p><p>And because the universe is cruel, it looks like he’s going to become a ghost fast.</p><p>A hard blast hits Shiro and he grunts, straining against the controls as the small jet he’s piloting starts to spiral. He can’t tell whether the hit came from friendly fire or from the people they’re fighting. Miraculously, he manages to bring his jet back to level, staring at the back of the giant robot that’s been trying to pummel the Galra fleet.</p><p>“I’ve got eyes,” Shiro says, voice distorted through the muzzle he wears. It’s strapped on tight, digging into the bridge of his nose and breaking skin that’s already heavily scarred. It’s been one of the Galra’s ways of controlling him, one of the only reasons he’s been able to pilot a jet alone. If he strays, the muzzle sizzles. If he goes too far, it’ll explode. </p><p>There’s not much he can do, aside from hope the pathetic guns of the jet they’ve given him make a scratch against the robot.</p><p>“Fall back,” his direct commander replies.  Shiro nods, not bothering to question Ulaz.</p><p>Shiro has survived exactly one year as a plaything for the Galra, getting thrown into the pit at their whim to fight whatever creature they thought had a good chance at crushing him. It was clear in the arena that his killing instinct had grown so sharp, his presence so lethal, that in a show of benevolence on behalf of the Galra Empire, they promoted him to being a war dog. Or so it goes.</p><p>The reality of it is that he had made them nervous. Humans are seen as a weak species. To see a thing like him come out victorious so many times, even against Galra hybrids, was damaging. The last three fights he won, Shiro walked away bruised and battered but still wholly intact.</p><p>The warden did not like the fact that Shiro no longer clung onto life at the end of each match. It posed a threat—Shiro’s strength was too inspiring. He had to be culled. They somehow gleaned that he could fly and promoted him to becoming cannon fodder, giving him an ancient jet with a fresh coat of paint. </p><p>This is the first fight that Shiro’s been in and he knows that the warden has been hoping that it’ll be his last. The enemy is a fierce, giant robot with five pilots. They’re on strict orders not to return to Zarkon without Voltron. Shiro’s been acting as support, firing against the behemoth when he can, but he knows he’s just meant to serve as a distraction as the Galra mount one attack after another.</p><p>“Shiro,” Ulaz’s voice comes through the comms. “Level with Voltron’s head. Fire once.”</p><p>Shiro follows the command, knowing he can’t do much else. It’s probably nothing more than an annoyance, but Voltron turns to face him anyways.</p><p>Suddenly, his muzzle starts to crackle. </p><p>There’s a loud whining noise before the muzzle sputters and turns off completely, just as Shiro finds two giant yellow eyes staring at him. He doesn’t even notice the giant hand reaching for his ship as he starts to pry at the muzzle. </p><p>It comes off and Shiro gasps for air. Blood trickles down his nose, dark and thick.</p><p>“Ulaz?” Shiro says out loud, just as Ulaz comes onto the video channel. He’s got a stern and determined look on his face. </p><p>“Let them take you,” Ulaz says firmly. “It’s for your own good.”</p><p>The video blinks out before Shiro can say anything. Shiro’s eyes widen as all of the controls in his ship power down, until the cockpit is dark and he’s staring at the giant beast in front of him. Off to its right side, a white spaceship flickers into view. Shiro jams on the controls to no avail. Nothing moves, nothing gives. Even the eject button won’t work.</p><p>The Galra must want to run. Voltron has been beating down on them and Ulaz is stretched thin. The warden that had given Shiro to him knew that, Shiro thinks bitterly. It works because, as Voltron stares him down, the Galra ships behind it slowly warp out of sight.</p><p>Shiro’s ship flickers to life again—<em> barely </em>—just as Voltron breaks apart. Five lions surround him, and the white ship that was beside it comes up from underneath to cage Shiro in. They do not immediately incinerate him, so they must want him. </p><p>He tries to fiddle with the stick, even hits the buttons for the emergency sequence. But his ship won’t work. All it does is glow a deep pink on the inside as one of the lions starts to approach him. It’s the largest one out of the bunch, the black one. Shiro closes his eyes as the beast opens its jaws, ready to be a prisoner again.</p><p>There’s a familiar <em> beep </em> and Shiro’s eyes shoot open as someone shouts at him. He looks at the hologram and sees a pilot—the one for the black lion, Shiro assumes from the accents in the armour. </p><p>The pilot smacks the side of their helmet as Shiro gets tugged into the darkness of the lion’s mouth. Their tinted visor dissipates just as his ship fully powers down again, but Shiro blanches at the familiar face that flickers right before the comms cut out. He stares at where the grainy video had been before everything goes completely dark.</p><p>Shiro thinks he’s just seen a ghost.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
When Shiro wakes up, he expects pain to sear through him like it has been for the past year.</p><p>He feels nothing as he stumbles out of a tall recovery pod with jelly-like limbs, liquid splashing everywhere. He just feels raw, sticky, sore. There is no burning in his muscles, no strain on his bones. No harsh welts on his skin that feel the sting of the air. </p><p>Vague memories ping around in him. Being pried from a jet. Going into shock as his feet touched the ground. Being sedated before he could understand his bearings.</p><p>An unfamiliar man catches him and Shiro immediately wants to jump to the defensive. But he’s got no energy. He might not be hurting, but he’s drained. Everything is tender to the touch, and Shiro can’t fight as the man gently guides him towards a metal table.</p><p>“Wh—” Shiro starts and the man cuts him off.</p><p>“You’re safe,” the man says, and his hair is so orange that Shiro has to blink. Shiro’s flesh hand brushes against the cool surgical steel and <em> there </em>—familiar pain starts blooming through his forehead. The man says his name, but the pain grows stronger.</p><p>Shiro passes out.</p><p>When he sweeps into consciousness again, he’s on a bed. It’s as hard as the military-issue beds he had been used to back on Earth, meaning it’s a luxury after a year of sleeping on the floor. </p><p>The room is dark, save for a soft green glow. A calloused palm caresses his cheek and Shiro looks up to find the owner of the touch.</p><p>Shiro startles, starts to sit up, but the hand immediately shifts to his chest and pushes him back down. He must be in a dream. And a cruel one at that. </p><p>“Keith?” Shiro murmurs, and the corners of Keith’s mouth tug up.</p><p>“Shiro,” Keith replies, and his voice is hoarse, worn-out. “I found you.”</p><p>He can’t help it. Shiro surges up, and this time he’s not stopped as he wraps his arms around Keith. He squeezes too hard, but Keith says nothing, just wraps his arms around Shiro’s waist in turn. </p><p>“Keith,” Shiro breathes, and something in his chest starts to crack as he realizes he’s already awake. “Tell me you’re real.”</p><p>Keith murmurs a soft <em> yes </em> , holds on tighter to Shiro. He’s real. <em> Real </em>. </p><p>Shiro’s breath starts to catch in his lungs. Keith inhales sharply and Shiro should have known. Shiro should have known that they would have found each other. </p><p>Should have known Keith would follow him anywhere, even into deep and violent space.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Voltron is a ray of light in the abyss that is the rule of the Galra. It is a powerful beast that brings hope wherever it goes and leaves a trail of debris from whatever Galra squadron had the misfortune of stumbling across it.</p><p>It is piloted by four humans and one teenage alien, out of whom only one has flying experience that counts.</p><p>Keith was still a cadet when Shiro left, on the cusp of nineteen. He’s more sure of his movements now, more refined. There’s still a fire behind Keith’s eyes, but a year has hardened him in a way that startles Shiro. Yet Shiro can’t say anything. When he catches his own reflection, he doesn’t recognize himself.</p><p>“Easy,” Keith clicks with his tongue, drawing Shiro out of his thoughts as he mindlessly jogs on a treadmill. Shiro’s been on the castleship for three days, and this is the first day he’s been fully conscious. He’s long been extracted from his armour, now thrown into a pair of soft sweatpants and a thin tank top.</p><p>Allura and Coran have completed a battery of tests on him to check his health and to see if his prosthetic poses a threat. They haven’t been able to find anything beyond his scars and a robotic arm that, as far as they can tell, doesn’t have any kind of tracking device. </p><p>After they were done, Keith had asked them for some privacy. When they had both left, Keith explained everything.</p><p>Shiro knows about the Alteans. They’re supposed to be extinct. Allura and Coran are the last two, as far as anyone knows. They have woken up after a sleep that lasted ten millennia and are dead set on bringing down the Galra. And Shiro’s heard whisperings of Voltron.</p><p>A meteor had landed on earth near Keith’s family’s old ranch. Keith had gone out to investigate, only to find a Galra general pointing a gun down three terrified cadets who had snuck out after curfew. Through a string of what Keith calls sheer luck, he had managed to subdue the Galra general and their subordinate. The Galra had been looking for the Blue Lion, and the four of them had found it in a cave shortly after.</p><p>As soon as they had stepped in, the Lion had taken off, shooting through the stratosphere and back towards the loving arms of the castleship. They had awoken Allura and Coran and since then, have been fighting the Galra with no set path for getting home.</p><p>“I was looking for you,” Keith says quietly, barely audible over the sound of Shiro’s feet hitting the treadmill. “They said you had died on Kerberos, but I knew that wasn’t true. Knew for sure when I found myself halfway across the universe.”</p><p>There’s an underlying story to it. Keith had been looking, even on Earth. Shiro’s heart twists at the thought of the grief he must have brought to his friend. He’d staved off those thoughts in captivity, determined to survive and make it back, but Shiro never thought far enough into the future about what he would do when he got enough downtime to think about his feelings.</p><p>“I…” Shiro trails off. </p><p>He doesn’t know what to tell Keith first. He wants to tell him about his time imprisoned, his year in the arena. The reputation he’s built up. </p><p>The pain is too harsh to verbalize. Shiro wonders what will happen if he doesn’t keep it contained. He wants to tell Keith, but if Shiro spills his emotions, he might be facing something worse than gut-wrenching nightmares.</p><p>“Thank you,” Shiro says instead. Keith gives him a faint smile.</p><p>“Glad to have you back,” Keith says, reaching forward to touch Shiro’s arm. Rough fingers linger over bare skin, and Shiro shivers at the contact. He’s still getting used to friendly touch.</p><p>“Glad to be back,” Shiro replies. Keith looks like he wants to say something else. Shiro watches intently, but in the end, Keith remains silent.</p><p>Keith hooks his finger around one of the electrodes taped to Shiro’s bicep and pulls it off, letting it fall to the side.</p><p>“Dinner’s in ten…” Keith trails off, squints for a moment. “Uh, minutes.”</p><p>“I don’t like how they tell time here either.” Shiro says and gives Keith a smile, small and genuine. Keith returns it, and Shiro commits his expression to memory.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>It’s a slow process.</p><p>They cannot undo what the Galra did. No one can, not even his best friend. However, Keith’s presence still tempers Shiro.</p><p>Keith is a balm to him. Shiro has told them that he was a prisoner with the Galra but hasn’t given details. Keith asks once, and Shiro turns it down. Gone is the young stubbornness Keith had on Earth— Keith drops the subject and focuses on making sure Shiro heals.</p><p>Shiro has been in fight mode for so long that his body doesn’t know what to do now that he’s got a moment to slow down. He still expects to wake up in a cold cell, surrounded by creatures terrified that they’ll be thrown into the ring with him. And that’s if he’s able to sleep. He feels like he’s always on the verge of dozing off without ever falling unconscious.</p><p>Allura won’t let him see too much of the castleship. She says he shouldn’t exert himself, but he knows she doesn’t want him to get a feel for the layout of the ship. Allura still doesn’t trust him, and Shiro doesn’t blame her. Coran is cheerful, but there’s no hiding where his loyalty lies. </p><p>The other three are in awe. Apparently Lance had idolized Shiro when they were at the Garrison, and Katie—<em> Pidge </em>—remembers Shiro from when he and Matt would excitedly babble about Kerberos at the Holt family dinner table. Hunk is terrified of him. All three of them are, but they won’t say anything.</p><p> As far as Shiro can glean, they’re a little scared of Keith too.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
It doesn’t take long for the Galra to find him.</p><p>The attack fails to be unsparing. Three ships appear out of nowhere, sending the castle into alert in the middle of their sleep cycle. Shiro, already awake, tries to find some way to help them. In the end, he remains in the control room with Coran as the Lions launch out. Standing in a giant ship watching his friends fight irks Shiro like no other, but he doesn’t have an option.</p><p>Voltron dispatches the ships with ease, but there’s distrust in Allura’s eyes when they touch back down in the castle.</p><p>“We haven’t been discovered like this before,” Allura says as they reconvene in the main control room of the castleship. Shiro doesn’t know what to say. He gets it. He’d be suspicious too.</p><p>“We come across Galra ships all the time,” Keith cuts in sharply. “They’re in every pocket of the universe.”</p><p>“This doesn’t feel as accidental,” Allura says, and Keith shakes his head.</p><p>“Voltron has been taking down more and more Galra fleets,” Keith defends Shiro with the same amount of vigour in his voice that Shiro had defended him in front of so many Garrison officers. “How long did you think we’d stay off their radar for? The more we kill, the more eager Zarkon is to capture us once and for all.”</p><p>It’s the last either of them say on the topic. Later in the day, when he’s in the showers, Shiro stares down at his prosthetic and wonders.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Everyone’s on edge, so they decide to take it out in their training. Shiro joins them after getting the clear from Coran. </p><p>Keith makes no attempt to hide how determined he is to get Shiro back on his feet. Keith knows that Shiro hates feeling useless more than anything, hates being babied and hates being seen as someone who’s too weak to move forward. Shiro works with them through conditioning, even runs them through some old drills that has everyone but Keith and Allura on the ground cursing his name.</p><p>Shiro watches the team on the training deck as they fight gladiator bots. It’s fascinating to see their fighting styles, but Shiro feels naturally drawn to observing Keith’s.</p><p>Keith has grown into a skilled fighter since Shiro last saw him. He’s still all leg with his moves but he’s more purposeful in the way that he kicks, bringing down the bots with ease and power. He’s got a bayard that transforms into a sword that he wields with an amount of confidence that inspires pride within Shiro.</p><p>It also inspires something else, too, something that Shiro tamps down. It’s neither the time nor the place. There’s a chance that it never will be, because Shiro doesn’t know if he’ll be able to piece himself together.</p><p>To distract himself, Shiro asks if he can try his hand at training with the bots. Allura allows it, in good spirits because Lance had gotten absolutely pummeled in the last exercise, and tells him to suit up. </p><p>It’s a mistake.</p><p>The deck is too reminiscent of the arena. Shiro’s been lent Keith’s bayard, shield, and a spare suit of armour. One moment, three gladiator bots are closing in on Shiro and Hunk as they stand back-to-back. </p><p>The next moment they’re three giant aliens, frothing at the mouth as they try to tear Shiro from limb to limb. The bayard transforms into a sword and Hunk says his name, but it all vanishes.</p><p>Shiro blacks out. He watches himself attack the sentry bots with unparalleled violence, his vision red as people start to call out his name. He rips off the head of one bot and uses it to pummel another. Hunk watches, completely terrified, before Shiro turns on him.</p><p>He wouldn’t do anything to Hunk, but Shiro doesn’t blame the tidal wave of panic that hits everyone in the room. Keith calls out his name and tries to approach him, but Shiro lashes out at him.</p><p>Shiro comes to just as he’s getting tackled to the ground. Keith pins him against the floor, sweat beading as his temple as Shiro stares up, wide-eyed. He’s saying Shiro’s name, trying to pull Shiro back to the present. Shiro is horrified.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Shiro says desperately. Tries to struggle, but Keith keeps him anchored by the wrists, stays straddled across Shiro’s lap. </p><p>“You’re okay,” Keith says, and his voice is not angry. It’s out of breath, but it’s calm, and he speaks in a low, soothing tone. “You’re okay. You’re safe. You’re with me, Shiro. You’re with me.”</p><p>“Shit—I’m—” Shiro starts, stops. Feels the corners of his eyes prick as Keith looks down at him with a determined expression. Keith’s not going to let Shiro go until Shiro calms down. </p><p>Shiro relaxes in Keith’s hold, because there’s nothing else he can do. He hears Hunk say <em> “hey man, are you okay?” </em> off in the distance, but Shiro keeps his focus on Keith as he regains awareness of his surroundings.</p><p>Eventually, Keith lets his wrists go. Shiro raises his hands. While Keith looks wary, he doesn’t look afraid. Shiro settles his palms against the width of Keith’s thighs and closes his eyes. Keith’s warm and solid under his hands. Shiro breathes in deeply.</p><p>He’s okay.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>It’s blissfully quiet for seven days. They repair the castle and Shiro resumes training, learning the ins and outs of the one Altean fighter Allura will allow him to pilot. He doesn’t blame her for being overly-cautious. She’s the last guardian of her species, and her survival hangs on a string.</p><p>So Shiro takes what he can. He makes it back on the training deck without any horrific flashbacks that send him spiraling into a fit of violence. He needs to, because his worth lies in how he fights. Coran keeps a watchful eye over him, programming different simulations into the bots to see how Shiro fights.</p><p>It hurts him that he doesn’t have an answer for Pidge when it comes to her family. He tells her he tackled Matt so that he would go into the ring and her brother would go to a labour camp where he’d stand a better chance of survival, but he doesn’t know much beyond that. She takes it with the grace of someone who’s grieving half her family and continues her search.</p><p>Lance and Hunk are still kind of scared of him, but they try to bring him into the fold. Hunk makes Shiro try out both a variety of small gadgets and small dishes he makes in his free time, while Lance talks his ear off about some of the more nonsensical things he’s seen in space. Shiro appreciates them both, even when they bicker. </p><p>It’s human.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“What else would it be, then?” Allura yells, normally composed face a vivid red. “How else are they tracking us if it’s not your arm?”</p><p>She looks like she’s on the verge of lobbing her helmet at Shiro’s head, even after Lance places a pacifying hand against her back, his eyes unfocused.</p><p>This time when the Galra had found them, the fight was more ferocious than ever. Shiro had dropped into his jet and delivered the best support he could, taking out waves of smaller ships. </p><p>Ultimately, he and Pidge were able to divebomb the commanding ship, but everyone had taken a massive hit. Hunk and Lance will both have to go into recovery pods, while Pidge winces with every other movement. Keith is bruised as well, but refuses to tend to his injuries, standing between Shiro and Allura.</p><p>“Even if it is him, it’s not his fault,” Keith replies, voice rough like he’s barely holding on to civility. “He’s not some secret plant.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Allura raises an eyebrow and Keith stiffens. “I—we have a lot balancing on us. We cannot afford to get found so many times.”</p><p>“The Galra Empire has had ten thousand years to develop what we haven’t,” Keith replies icily. “I think it’s safe to assume they’ll find us either way.”</p><p>“We don’t even know how he got that arm,” Allura gestures towards Shiro’s hand, that’s still glowing a faint pink. “For all we know he—”</p><p>“It got ripped off,” Shiro cuts in. He wants this to be over. Wants Keith’s team to not turn on him. “I fought in the arena for a year, and one of their beasts tore it off during a fight. The scientists decided to fuse this arm to me, and the warden starved me for a week because he thought I didn’t act grateful enough.”</p><p>It’s the most Shiro’s ever said about his time in captivity. The air around them settles into uncomfortable silence, and Allura snaps her mouth shut. Keith doesn’t turn to look at Shiro, doesn’t question anything. Shiro can see the thrum of energy that’s vibrating through Keith, threatening to burn him.</p><p>“Princess,” Coran says softly from behind them, and the topic’s dropped.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>It’s tense on the ship from there.</p><p>Keith helps him where he can. He takes over running medical tests on Shiro, and does conditioning exercises with him. They talk about nothing, Keith filling him on oddities he saw in the desert without telling Shiro why he was staying at his parent’s ranch and not the Garrison. </p><p>Lance fills him in one day, tells him that Keith mysteriously dropped out the same day Iverson mysteriously had to start wearing an eye patch, exactly one week after Iverson had made a formal announcement to the public at large that Kerberos had failed due to a pilot error. It doesn’t take a lot for Shiro to guess why Keith had left.</p><p>He sees the signs of it in the way Keith talks to him sometimes. The way Keith’s gaze lingers on him, like he’s still not fully comprehended that Shiro is real. That he’s here. Or maybe it’s just wishful thinking on Shiro’s part.</p><p>Keith also sneaks him onto Black, exercising none of the caution that Allura does. He’s tried showing Shiro around the castleship, but Shiro put a stop to it. He <em> knows </em> he’s not Galra intel, knows he’d sacrifice himself before selling out anyone on this ship, but he also doesn’t know how they’ve gotten found twice. </p><p>He can’t be too cautious until they have an answer.</p><p>Keith’s talking about how good Black is as he walks around the cockpit, showing off the interior to Shiro. Says something about how hard it was at the beginning to get her to like him, but now he thinks they’ve developed a bond.</p><p>Shiro just watches Keith and his movements, content at the sight of the barely concealed excitement in Keith’s actions. Keith has had great responsibility thrown onto him, has had the weight of the world on his shoulders for so long, but he bears it well. Leadership suits Keith, and it’s evident in the way that he speaks with more surety, how quick and sharp he is with his decisions and how he moves with confidence.</p><p>And Shiro tells him as much. Keith goes red around his ears. Keeps talking about how no one respected him at the beginning and he’s not sure if they respect him now, either. There’s a brightness in Keith’s eyes that draws Shiro in and makes him think. He gets so lost in it that he doesn’t even notice when Keith’s changed subjects. </p><p>“Shiro,” Keith says.</p><p>“Hm?” Shiro replies absently, watching the way Keith’s brows furrow. </p><p>“I said I know you don’t want to talk about what happened,” Keith says, his voice unsure. “And you don’t need to. Not till you’re comfortable. But I want to know... how you’re feeling.”</p><p>Shiro says nothing. Keith rambles.</p><p>“Just, it’s been a year, and these past few weeks must have been a lot,” Keith fidgets with his hands, and Shiro’s gaze drops down to them. “I just want to know if you’re okay. You— your well-being means a lot to me. I want you to be safe.”</p><p>In that moment, Shiro wants to tell Keith everything that’s happened to him. Shiro wants to tell Keith that he still thinks he’s dreaming sometimes, and would not be surprised if this was just another experiment being done on him.</p><p>He’s made of few words now, but one day he’ll tell the story in volumes. Shiro wants to tell Keith about who he became in the arena, and how he wants to carve out that part of him forever.</p><p>“I haven’t felt fear,” Shiro says quietly, and he steps towards Keith. “Not for the past year.”</p><p>They’re in space, so far from home it’s unfathomable. Shiro allows himself to slip a hand around one of Keith’s, and Keith allows him to hold on. Keith’s always allowed him to hold on. Keith’s gone to the mat for Shiro and though he’s just grinned and said that it’s to repay Shiro for their Garrison days, Shiro knows it’s worth more.</p><p>“Now that we’re back together, I feel fear,” Shiro continues, and tugs Keith closer. Keith follows, staring up at Shiro. “Fear that I’ll lose you. Or fear that I’m dreaming.”</p><p>It’s evident that Keith doesn’t know how to say what he’s feeling right now. But his emotions are painted across his face, as open as a book. </p><p>“Keith,” Shiro says his name softly. Hushed, like a prayer. </p><p>Keith gives him one last look before he’s leaning up, pressing his lips against Shiro in a tentative kiss.</p><p>Like a benediction.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>In the end, it’s not Shiro that the Galra have been following. It’s the Lions.</p><p>They find that out when they send Shiro out as bait, the Castle and the Lions hovering in the asteroid belt of the last planet in the tiny solar system they’re in. Shiro’s near the sun, and while the Altean jet can withstand a lot, Shiro still feels warmth in the cockpit.</p><p>Yet the Galra appear in the outer reach of the solar system, plucking Voltron out like a clover. Shiro watches from where he hovers as a Galra fleet descends on his friends. No one comes near him, not even as he breaks the sound barrier with how fast he tries to approach them.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><b><br/>
<br/>
</b>They give Shiro up. </p><p>It happens when the Galra find them again, camped out near a dying star. The decision is spontaneous, and Keith’s face grows a violent red when Shiro’s the one to suggest it. It takes him a good ten minutes to stop yelling, but he only permits it if he’s the one to escort Shiro on.</p><p>So Voltron hails the Galra fleet—it’s headed by someone new. Shiro briefly wonders where Ulaz went before he’s shoved forcefully onto the screen.</p><p>“If we give him back, will you leave us alone?” Allura says bluntly. The Galra general laughs and tells her <em> yes, yes of course </em>, making no attempt to disguise in his voice that he plans to attack them anyways. The Galra see fresh blood when they look at Voltron, which tells Shiro they’ve yet to learn their lesson about humans.</p><p>They’re so smug about getting Shiro that they don’t notice how the Yellow and Red Lion disappear while the Black Lion docks on the main Galra cruiser. They don’t notice that the giant Galra that follows closely behind Keith and Shiro isn’t one of their own, doesn’t notice the wisp of white hair poking out from underneath the helmet.</p><p>The warden that had kept Shiro imprisoned stands behind the general, looking part pleased and relieved that he’s managed to recapture Shiro. It’s why they don’t see the way Allura, Keith, and Shiro are poised to strike. Not until the General reaches out and grasps Shiro by his cuffed wrists. </p><p>The fight that ensues is vicious. Keith takes out a majority of the officers that received them, each with a roar of anger that betrays his normally quiet and stealthy fighting style. There’s a large <em> BANG </em> and the cruiser rocks, having gotten blasted hard by Hunk’s super-charged cannon. </p><p>In less than two minutes, Black will burst through the room with a roar and they’ll escape with her outside, where they’ll form Voltron and deliver one final, fatal blow to this fleet. The two minutes feel like a lifetime as chaos ensues.</p><p>More sentries flood where Allura, Keith, and Shiro are. Keith and Allura do a good job in taking them down, but no one tears them apart with as much brutality as Shiro does.</p><p>He feels feral, like he’s in the arena again. Shiro’s arm starts to sting as it heats up and slices through metallic bodies. It feels cathartic, and in turn, Shiro feels a shadow fall over his heart. But Allura and Keith are beside him, baring their teeth as their friends on the outside rain fire down on the entire fleet.</p><p>The warden makes one last attempt to stop them, and finds his throat enclosed in Shiro’s hand. He’s just an inch shorter than Shiro, and Shiro lifts him up by the neck as he thrashes around and spits in his face.</p><p>Shiro should take him prisoner or leave him on the ship to die because inevitably, Voltron will not leave any survivors.</p><p>“Shiro!” Keith calls him from behind—they’re running out of time. Shiro stares one last time into the jaundice-yellow eyes of the warden. He feels empty as his hand starts to heat up and the familiar smell of sizzling skin and fur fills his nostrils. The warden drops like a sack at Shiro’s feet.</p><p>Just another opponent who couldn’t win against the Champion. </p><p>Voltron leaves a fiery wreckage behind as Allura tears open a new portal for Voltron to flee through before Zarkon himself descends on them. The other paladins stay in their Lions, just in case they end up face-to-face with another Galra fleet. Shiro and Keith are in Black, Shiro gripping the head of Keith’s seat so hard it almost cracks. </p><p>Yet Shiro feels something different. It’s not the sense of pained victory drenched in dread that he felt so often in the arena. He looks down at Keith, who’s got a manic grin on his face as he white-knuckles the controls, knows he’s the same. </p><p>Shiro feels euphoria coursing through him as the universe peels away around them. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  
</p><p>Two days later, Shiro’s standing on the observation deck, staring out into the void. They’ve set course for a small planet covered in lush jungle and technology advanced beyond anything they’ve seen. Pidge has developed a disguised ping to detect any type of foreign vessel up to a full light year away. Allura looks a lot more satisfied too, and Shiro pretends he doesn’t see the sentry helmet she’s kept as a small trophy. </p><p>This is his life now, Shiro thinks as he watches a distant star twinkle. He’s working on comprehending it—he’s tried his best not to be present for so long, just to survive. But now Shiro’s allowed to exist in the moment, doesn’t have to suppress the memory into a box and throw away the key. </p><p>“What are you thinking about?”</p><p>The words don’t startle Shiro as much as they slowly pull him out of his head, coming from his constant. His best friend. The one who found him halfway across the universe, defying sense and destiny.</p><p>Shiro feels Keith come up behind him, steps tentative as they approach him. Shiro turns just enough to give Keith a soft smile as he comes up beside him.</p><p>“Honest answer?” Shiro asks, and Keith nods. Shiro can see the tension in the way Keith holds himself, so he reaches out his hand to Keith. He loops his little finger around Keith’s and looks back out the window.</p><p>“I’m just thinking about how lucky I am,” Shiro says. To be here. To be alive. To be able to exist in the infinite of the stars. He doesn’t verbalize all of it but he tells Keith— “To be beside you.”</p><p>Shiro doesn’t have to see Keith to know Keith’s face is heating up. <em> Good </em>. Keith should know that he’s wanted, that he’s loved. It makes Shiro feel human in a way that makes his heart overflow.</p><p>“I don’t know if we’ll ever make it back to Earth,” Keith replies quietly, his finger tightening around Shiro’s. </p><p>“I don’t think that’s too bad,” Shiro replies softly, finally turning to face Keith. “The only person I’d return for is standing here.”</p><p>Keith visibly reddens now, ducks his gaze like he does whenever he’s unsure of how to react. Shiro tries to hold back when it comes to peppering Keith with compliments, but he really can’t. </p><p>Whatever lays ahead of them is unknown. Violent. Shiro knows that they’re facing a cruel battle with an enemy that has their hands in every pocket of the universe. They’ve been thrust towards something so much bigger than them it’s hard to fathom. </p><p>Shiro squeezes Keith’s finger and leans in. Keith immediately closes the distance before Shiro can act, and it’s impatient, like Keith’s been holding back.</p><p><em> Be present </em>, Shiro thinks as he circles his arms around Keith’s waist. Keith makes a noise and Shiro opens his eyes, just enough to see Keith’s dark lashes fanning across a lightly-freckled face. Shiro tilts his head and swipes his tongue over Keith’s bottom lip, testing. Keith opens up immediately, and Shiro lets out a pleased hum.</p><p>Shiro tightens his grip around Keith, so hard that Keith’s lifted onto his toes. The universe outside lays forgotten in favour of Shiro drinking in the present. He’s tethered to space and he’s roaming it. But he’s alive.</p><p>Shiro is not a ghost.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was my zine piece for Across Realities! Thanks for bringing me on guys, I really appreciate it! Both the mods and the creators were amazing. I'm not the most talkative but I have a deep fondness for everyone involved!</p><p>i am on <a href="https://twitter.com/tagteamme"> twitter</a> / <a href="www.phaltu.tumblr.com"> tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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